I knew immediately when I saw him that I had to make him mine- if only for a moment. We were both doomed. I just didn’t know how much at the time.

Little did I know just how much the wind was going to be knocked out of me that first time we saw eachother… and to think it almost didn’t happen.

It had been a long day at work. I was exhausted and just wanted to go home and go straight to bed. Some Friday night huh?

He and I had chatted in textboxes previously. He claimed he had never met anyone online before but the “friend” connection we shared seemed to calm him down a bit.

“Let’s see where this goes.” He’d later tell me would be the reason he went through with it.

Before our introduction there had been a few flags of caution. Politically we were very different people. And then there was one major break: despite mutually knowing a fellow artist, he abhorred art. Those two degrees of diametrical separation are arguably enough to make people run from eachother. But hey who listens to signs anyway?

I got there late. He was to meet me at one of my favorite historical cocktail bars downtown- Coles.

I took a deep breath as I walked up to the door.

“Haven’t seen my friend in awhile have you Wally?” I smiled to the doorman.

“Nope.” He smiled back.

“Wish me luck. I’m off to meet his potential replacement.”

Wally laughed and opened the door.

“You have a good night tonight.”

“Always.” I said with a wink.

And then time slowed down a bit… as it tends to in moments that…

Sitting at the bar was the man from the picture- clad in a black velvet blazer, dress shirt and tie. He was even better looking in person… and holy hell that was a feat in it of itself.